What contributes to Pelvic Floor issues?

For most people, you don’t come to a Physiotherapist until something is wrong. Once you’ve picked up an injury you’re likely to recognise there’s a problem and seek treatment but you may have missed many of the warning signs in the weeks or months before. 

It’s the same for Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy. You may be experiencing issues such as incontinence, pelvic discomfort or pain or you’ve noticed it doesn’t feel as strong or supportive when you’re out for a run or jumping up and down in a gym class. 

Sometimes this happens as a direct result of something like pregnancy or childbirth, but are you aware that there are many other contributing factors to why you may be experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction - and they may have been going on for years?

Here’s a few examples of things that cause stress to the pelvic floor:

➡ chronic coughing 

➡ recurring episodes of constipation

➡ breath holding or ‘sucking in our tummies’

➡ postural issues 

➡ stress

➡ obesity

➡ heavy lifting 

➡ some exercise techniques such as the valsalva technique in powerlifting

➡ hormonal fluctuations (low oestrogen levels)

Often these issues are long-lasting and likely to have an ongoing effect on the pelvic floor. Whilst not as ‘obvious’ as changes that can occur quite suddenly after pregnancy and delivery they can be just as impactful due to the repeated pressure on the pelvic floor muscles over a number of years. 

It may be that noticeable symptoms do not present themselves until a significant shift occurs such as during peri-menopause or menopause, which means that many women do not seek help until later. Providing women with the information about the impact of these issues could allow them to be more mindful of how they could avoid getting to the point where symptoms would occur. Often a women’s health or pelvic health physiotherapist will be able to advise of simple lifestyle or exercise changes which will enable you to continue to live life to the full, without putting yourself at risk, or managing your symptoms effectively.